Method and apparatus for shaping material



Jam 19, 1932. J, c, TIMM 1,841,994

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING MATERIAL Filed June 20. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 19, 1932. J. c. TIMM METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING MATERIAL Filed June 20. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jan. 19, 1932. J. c. TIMM METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING MATERIAL Filed June 20. 1929 5 Shee ts-Sheet s I 0 INVENTQR/ QM m km m. Mm 5E: N QN V 7 f W NW WUN Jim. 19, 1932. J. c TIMM 1,841,994

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING MATERIAL Filed June 20, 1929 SSheQts-Shut 4 mm W, WM

Jan. 19, 1932 J. c. TIMM METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING MATERIAL Filed June 20, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l M N hu Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN 0. runs, or GIRABD, omo

IETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING KATE-BIA];

Application filed June 20, 1929. Serial No. 372,426.

The present invention relates broadly to the art of material shaping, and more particularly to a method and apparatus adapted for uniformly shaping substantially flat .5 pieces of metal into tubular form-preparainvention.

tory to the production of tubes, cylinders, pipes, orthe like, by a suitable joining of the ardent edges ofthe shaped body.

The present invention relates especially to a method and apparatus forthe production of predetermined lengths of substantially tubular material in which all portions have been subjected to a shaping operation such that the adjacent edges may be readily brought into abutting or overlapping relationship in such manner as to permit their attachment by welding, brazing, soldering, or the like, for the production of either butt or lap welded tubular or substantially tubular articles. The expression tubular articles is used in its generic sense as definitive of pipes, tubes, cylindrical shapes, and the like, regardless of theIuse to which such shapes are sub sequently placed.

The present invention further contemplates an apparatus adaptedfor the shaping of strips or strip like material for the production of spirally wound tubular objects.

In theaccompanying drawings, there are shown for purposes of illustration only, certain preferred embodiments of the present Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the left hand end of in Figure 1;

Figure 4. is. an end elevational view of the right hand'end of the left handsection, as illustrated in'Figure 1: 5

Figure 5 is apartial horizontal sectional view, on the line V--V of Figure 4 ;f'

the machine, as illustrated Figure 6 is a detailview illustrating one,

manner at supporting and adjusting the ejectors for the formed material; 77

Figure 7 is a topplan view similar to F igure 1, illustrating another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 7, illustratin'g still another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view illustrating 'a further modification. A

In Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, there is illustrated what may be termed a duplex forming machine comprising separable sections S and S, which sections are of substantially similar construction and adapted to be brought into either adjacent or-separated relationship. While in adjacent relationship, the two sections constitute a continuation one of the other, and are adapted for thesimultaneous formation of similar portions of a common piece of materiaL In separated relationship, as illustrated for example in Figure 2 of the drawings, the sections are adapted to effect the discharge of a formed piece of material to permit its transfer to a suitable point at which any desired operations may be performed thereon. For this purpose there may be provided a suitable conveyor 2 so located as to cooperate with both sections and to receive therefrom asha'ped article.

Each section conveniently comprises a housing 3 carried by a suitable base 4 cooperating with a bed plate 5 in and along which the sections are adapted to be moved in an endwise direction. Such movement may-be accomplished in any desired manner, as for example, by providing eaeh of the bases 4 with racks -6 cooperating with pinions 7, adapted to be driven in anydesired manner 3 and in either direction at will, for either ad this manner it is possible to'efiect an;absolutely uniform radial adjustment of all of indicating means 11, whereby the exact tion thereof maybe readily determined. In

, give advantageous results. Cooperating with j the rolls 8; a differential adjustment as between diiferent rolls; or a differential adjustment as between the opposite ends of the same roll. tions to which a piece of material being formed is subjected may be accurately determined and controlled, as will hereinafter be more readily apparent.

The parts 9 are preferably of such construction as to provide a plurality of axially spaced bearing portions 12 cooperating with the rolls 8 and having either plain bearing surfaces or anti-friction bearing surfaces, as determined by the requirements of the particular installation. In order to effect proper lubrication of these surfaces, as well as cleaning thereof, each of the bearings is preferably provided with a substantially centrally disposed lubricating channel 13, to which a suitable lubricant under pressure is adapted to be periodicall forced. Excess lubricating material toget or with any scale or other foreign material having a tendency to collect in the bearings is forced lengthwise thereof and discharged into the spaces 14 intermediate adjacent bearingsj These spaces are preferably formed not only in the supports 9, but also in the main housing 3 whereby excess lubricant together with foreign matter may be collected at a common point in the base of each of the,

housings.

While any desired number of forming rolls 8 may be provided in each housing section, I have found that four such rolls substantially uniformly positioned about a common axis such rolls is a forming mandrel 15.

Inaccordance witlr the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is pro sed to effect simultaneous rotation of the orming man drel 1 5 and the forming rolls 8. This is conveniently accomplished by providing the mandrel 15 with a shaft extension 16, carried in spaced bearings 17.: Intermediate the spaced bearin 17, the shaft extension may be provided with a gear 18 meshing with the driving gear 19 slidably mounted on a shaft 20. This shaft is preferably of angular cross-section, as clearly illustrated, for example, in Figures 3 and 4,,and at spaced pointSslides through circular bearings 21- adapted to cooperate with bearings 22, carried by the respective housing sections.

By reason of the construction just de-' scribed, the forming mandrels 15 within the respective housings are tied together by the shaft 20, gears 19, and gears 18, for simultaneous rotation in the sam'e direction; Due to the use of an angular shaft 20, the gears 19 v are always in driving relation thereto, irrespective of the adjusted position of the sections S and S.

Also carried by each of-the shaft extensions 16 is a gear 23 in driving relationship to a-plurality of idler gears 24, preferably In this manner the exact condicarried by a common rin 25, adapted to be circumferentially adj usted by means of a rack and pinion 26, the characteristics of this rack and pinion preferably being such as to hold the parts in adjusted position without the use of auxiliary locking means.

Such an action may be obtained, as well understood in the art, by the use, for exam 1c, of an irreversible worm 26 or equiva. ent means.

Cooperating with the-idlers 24 is a series of gears 27, one of which is keyed to the outer end of each of the forming rolls 8. Havingireference more particularl to F igure 3 of the drawings, for examp c, it will be apparent that upon rotation of the ring 25 in a clockwise direction, the idler gears 24 will be movedinto such a position that the gear 27 may be moved inwardly as required to permit the adjustment of the forming rolls 8 in the manner before described, this being accomplished without disturbing the driving relationship between the various parts.

In order to establish proper cooperative relationship between the forming mandrels of the respective sections, the forming mandrel of the section S ma be provided with the recess 28, while the orming mandrel of the section S'- is provided with the cooperating projection 29, adapted to slide into the recess in such manner that with the sections in their adjacent reationship, as illustrated in Figure 1, the two formin mandrels constitute in effect a continuous orming surface.

In like manner, the forming rolls 8 of the section S may be provided with recesses 30 adapted to receive suitably shaped projections 31- on the formingrolls ofthe section S.

.F or properly feedin a piece of material into formin position,t ere ma beprovided a uide 32 or each of the sections, the two guides likewise being of similar construction, and adapted with the sections in adjacent relationship to form a continuous ide. Each of these guides may carry a brac et 33, having lugs 34 adapted to cooperate with arcuate slots 35 in brackets 36,- projecting from the sides of the housing sections. The slots 35 are preferably so formed that their center of curvature coincides substantially with the'line of contact between the upper forming roll 8 of each section and the forming mandrel 15. Adjustment of the guides in such arcuate slots may be obtained in any desired manner, as for example, by suitable adjusting screws 37 With a construction of the-character described, it will be apparent raising the guide, the amount of forming is relatively decreased.

In operation, the two sections are first brought into cooperative relationship, as H- lustrated in Figure 1, the forming rolls 8 and the guide 32 having been adjustedas desired. Thereafter, a plate, sheet or other-suitable piece of material M is fed in any desired manner through the guideand into the pass defined by the upper forming rolls 8 on the respective sections and the forming 'mandrels 15. 1

The forming rolls and forming mandrels being driven in the manner described, the material is pulled forwardly into the housings and around the mandrels .so that the .forming rolls act on the portions of the.

material progressively from edge to edge thereof, including both edge portions, and subject all such portions to shaping operations effective for producing a uniform curvature throughoutthe entire body of the material.

Upon the completion of the forming operation, the sections may be separated by suitable operation of the pinions 7 in order to permit discharge of the shaped body. In orderto eject such body from the sections during endwise movement thereof, there are provided stops 38 preferably of a generally arcuate cross-sectional area and of a thickness not exceeding the thickness of the material being operated upon, whereby they. are adapted to enter into the space between the forming mandrel and the housings and engage the ends of a formed article and prevent endwise movement thereofwith the housing sections. Continued movement of the sections in the manner described willeffect separation thereof to the extent indicated, for; example, in Figure 2, at which time the formed article is completely ejected from the forming sections and permitted to drop upon conveying means 2, by means of which it is 45 transferred to any desired point. Thereafter, the sections are moved in the opposite direction, and the operation repeated. I

The adjustment of the forming rolls 8 permits the rollsto be adjusted inwardly or outdifferent thicknesses, and also permits them to be adjusted as required for'the formation of tubular bodies of different diameters- It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the formation of tubular bodies of varying diameters 'also requires the use of forming mandrels of correspondingly different diameters. In order to adapt an apparatus of the character disclosed to theproduction of a wide Variety. of different sizes of materials, I preferably construct each of the mandrels of a series of telescopically arranged annulae 39, any one, or more, of which may be removed or applied atwill so as to permit the outside diameter of the forming 'wardly for cooperation with material ofv mandrel to be increased or, decreased at the will of the operator. By suitable adjustment of the stops 38, they may be positioned stops or ejectors 39, they may be carried in.

frames 40, provided with adjusting means 41, under the control of .the'operator and movable at will for effecting any desired positioning thereof.

In the drawings,- the machine is illustrated as set for the formation of tubularbodies of an intermediate size, the forming rolls" 8 being adjusted inwardly to an intermediate position and the forming mandrels 15 having one or more annulae removed therefrom. With the parts in thisposition, it will be apparent more particular y from an inspection of Figures, that the adjustable supports 9 project inwardly into the housings 3 to such an extent as-to provide bearings for filler blocks 42, which filler blocks are movable axially of the housings into the desired position. Q

Different sized filler blocks are utilized for the production of tubular articles of different sizes, relatively thick filler blocks being required for the production of articles of relatively smaller diameters, while relatively thin filler b ks are'substituted for the production of ar icles of larger diameter.

When it is desired to produce tubular articles of relatively less length than that obtainable with-a machine of the character illustrated in-Figures 1 to 6, I may utilize, for

example, a single/unit machine of the character shown in Figure 7, in which parts corresponding to parts already described are desig nated by the same reference characters having a prime aflixed thereto. In this embodim'ent, there is provided a removable end bearing 43, adapted to cooperate with a projecting bearing portion 44 on the forming m drel 15 and to hold the same in central position during a forming operation. Upon the conclusion of such operation, the bearing may be moved in one direction and the housing in the opposite direction, thereby permitting the desired ejection of the formed article.

A construction such asillustrated in'Figure 7 is also suitable for the formation of spirally wound art-icles from strip material, the pitch of the spiral in such cases being de termined\ by the Width of the strip, and the angle at ich it is fed through the guide 32. After suclifia strip has been fed into the machine'a distance suificient to cause it to pass entirely around theforming mandrel 15', the end bearing 43 may be removed t6 permit thespirally wound tubular body to continutill ously emerge from the unobstructed open end of the forming unit.

In Figure 8 of the drawings, there is illustrated an embodiment of the invention similar to that illustrated in Figure 7 but in which the end bearing corresponding to the bearing 43 is entirely omitted, the desired initial spacing of the forming mandrel 15 being obtained by the use of a dummy section 45 in the form of a ring, which is slipped endwise into position between the forming mandrel and the forming rolls 8. Such dummy ring at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine, will be engaged by the material being formed and automatically ejected through the open end of the machine, the strip material at such time serving to maintain the forming mandrel in its properly centralized position.

In Figure 9, there is illustrated a slightly modified embodiment of the invention adaptable not only to the two-unit form of Figures 1 to 6, but also to the single unit forms of Figures 7 and 8. This modification contemplates the provision of resilient backing-up means intermediate the adjusting devices 10 for the forming rolls 8, whereby a slight yielding movement of the rolls in a substantially radial direction is permitted while the machine is in operation. In this manner, in case of irregularities in the material undergoing treatment, a slight yielding movement of the forming rolls is permitted, and sticking of the material is obviated. Such a construction is also advisable in some cases to prevent breakage of the parts in case the operator accidentally sets the forming rolls 8 so close to the periphery of the forming mandrel as to prevent the desired passage of material therebetween.

A forming machine constructed in accordance with the present invention when utilized for the, production of tubular bodies from sheets or plates of material, possesses the advantage of being adaptable to operation on sheets or plates of a wide variety of different widths and for the production of tubular bodies of correspondingly varying lengths.

it also possesses the advantage that while operating upon material of this character, it is effective for subjecting portions of the material progressively from the entering edge, including both edge portions, to shap' ing operations all effective in the same direction so that the tubular body produced has a substantially uniform curvature throughout its entire area.

This is particularly desirable in cases where it is necessary to effect a subsequent joining of the edge portions of such body, since such edge portions have a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the main body and thereafter may be readily brought either into abutting or overlapping relationship preparatory to being permanently or temporarily united.

It possesses the further advantage that a single piece of apparatus is adapted to the production of a wide variety of articles varying not only as to length, but as to diameter, and for the further reason that a single unit may produce either a spirally wound tubular body, or a cylindrical body, in which the entering and trailing edges maintain at all times a condition of substantial parallelism to the axis of the forming rolls, and forming mandrel, assuming that the material supplied to the forming unit has a substantially straight edge portion.

In case it is desired to produce a tubular body having a seam extending at an angle to the axis thereof, the material fed to the unit may have its leading and trailing edges cut at a corresponding angle, the material being fed through the unit in the manner just described.

Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to whom it will also be understood that/changes in the construction and operation of the various parts herein illustrated and described, may be made without departing either from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of my broader claims.

1. In the method of shaping material, the steps comprising feeding the material into a shaping pass, thereafter feeding the material through a series of succeeding shaping passes of similar characteristics, and changing the angle of feeding of the material to determine the extent of shaping produced by the first pass.

2. In the method of shaping material, the steps comprising feeding the material into a shaping pass, thereafter feeding the material through a series of succeeding shaping passes of similar characteristics, and varying the angle of feed of the material to determine the characteristics of the shaped article.

3. In the method of forming material, the steps comprising bringing said material into frictional feeding engagement with the surfaces of a forming mandrel, rotating said mandrel to effect feeding movement of said material, and subjecting said material at a plurality of peripherally spaced points around said mandrel to a forming operation effective thereon in the direction of feeding movement of the material.

4. A forming machine, comprising a plurality of separable sections of similar construction, each section including a forming mandrel and a plurality of forming rolls cooperating therewith, means for effecting simultaneous rotation of the forming mandrel and formin rolls, and means for effecting alignment of the mandrels and forming rolls of the respective sections.

lCL

5. A forming machine, co rality of separable sections 0 I similar con struction, each section including a forming mandrel and a plurality of formin rolls cooperating therewith, means for efiecting si multaneous' rotation of the forming'mandrel and forming rolls, and means for effecting endwise movement of said sections.

6. A forming machine, comprising, a plurality of separable sections each including a forming mandrel and forming rolls disposed peripherally thereof and cooperating therewith, means for effecting endwise movement of saidsections, and ej ing with said sections; I p

7. Forming means, comprising a plurality of cooperating sections, each section including a forming mandrel and a plurality of forming rolls positioned peripherally thereof, and

cooperative engaging and aligning means between the forming mandrels and forming rolls ofthe respective sections.

ing means for the mandrel and rolls at one 8. A forming machine, comprising a housing, a forming mandrel therein, aplurality of forming rolls positioned peripherally of said mandrel, and dummy spacing and supportend.

ing a forming mandrel therein, means for varying the diameter of said mandrel, removable filler blocks in said housing for cooperating with the periphery of different sized mandrels, a plurality of forming rolls cooperating with said mandrel, and means for adjusting said forming rolls.

10. A forming machine, comprising a forming mandrel; means for varying the diameter of said mandrel, a plurality'of form ing rolls cooperating therewith, means adjusting said forming rolls, means for effecting simultaneous rotation of said mandrel and said rolls, and means for simultaneously ad justing the driving means for all of said rolls. 11. A forming machine, comprising a frame, a rotatable mandrel therein, a plurality of forming rolls-cooperating with said mandrel, and an angularly adjustable guide for feeding material into the pass defined by said mandrel and one of said forming rolls.

- 12. In a forming drel, a plurality o forming. rolls spaced substantially .equidistantly of said mandrel, and

means for effecting simultaneous rotation of said mandrel and said rolls, said means including a plurality of idle gears intermediate the mandrel and rolls.

13. In a forming machine, a forming mandrel, apluralit of forming rolls spaced substantially equidistantly of said mandrel,

. and angularly adjustable means for feedin ymaterial into cooperative relation to sai mandrel and forming rolls.

14:; In a forming machine, a supporting housing, a mandrel therein, means for guidmprising a pluecting means cooperat- 9. A forming machine, comprising a. housmachine, a forming man- I ing material to be formed into' engagement with said mandrel, means for effecting substantially simultaneous movement of said mandrel and said material, and ejecting means intermediate the mandrel and housing and. axiallyvmovablein substantially the plane of'the material being formed.

15. In a forming machine, a supporting housing a mandrel therein, means for guiding material to be formed into-engagement with said mandrel, means for effecting sub-, stantially simultaneous movement of said mandrel and said material, said means including a plurality of 'peripherallyspaced rolls,

and means for diiferentially adjusting difier- 5 ent portions of each of said rolls.

16. In a, forming machine, a supporting housing, a mandrel therein, means for guidlng material to be formedvmto engagement with sald mandrel, means for efi'ectmg substantially simultaneous movement of said mandrel and said material, said means including a plurality of peripherally spaced rolls of materially less diameter than the di ameter of said mandrel, and material enga'g ing surfaces on the housing intermediate said rolls. v

17. In a forming machine, a housing, a

mandrel rotatably mounted therein, means cooperating with said mandrel and spaced peripherally thereof to provide a plurality of substantially line contacts with the material being formed, and means for individually 7 adjusting any of said line contact means.

'18. In a forming machine, a housing, a

-fitting engagement with the mandrel and rolls of the other housing.

20. A forming machine, comprising a pair 7 of separable sections each includinga housing open at one end and having a mandrel and forming rolls therein, the mandrel and forming rolls of .one housing being shaped adjacent the open end of the housing for interfitting engagement with the mandrel .and rolls ofthe other housing, and means for moving said housings to eifect such engagement.

21. Forming means, comprising a housing having a series of recesses therein, a plurality of supports in said recesses, means for moving said supports axially in said recesses, forming rolls in said supports, and material engaging surfaces on said housing intermediate said recesses.

22. Forming means, comprising a housing having a series of recesses therein, a plurality of supports in said recesses, means for moving said supports axially in said recesses, forming rolls in said supports, and material engaging surfaces on said housing intermediate said recesses, said surfaces being removable for cooperation with diflferent mandrels.

23. A forming machine, comprising a mandrel, a plurality of forming rolls therearound,

a ring rotatable around the axis of said man- (l rel, a plurality of idle gears carried by said ring and gears on said mandrel and forming rolls meshing with said idle gears.

24. A forming machine, comprising a mandrel, a plurality of forming rolls therearound, a ring rotatable around the axis of said mandrel, a plurality of idle gears carried by said ring, gears on said mandrel and forming rolls meshing with said idle gears, and means for adjusting said forming rolls toward and from the axis of said mandrel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JQHN C. TIMIM. 

